1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electronic card connector, and in particular to a structure of an electronic card connector that eliminates undesired deformation of contacts thereof when mounting the connector to a circuit board.
2. The Prior Art
As high-density electrical devices become increasing popular, pitch between contacts of electrical connectors is getting smaller whereby the contacts are positioned very close to each other. However, if the contacts become deformed a short circuit may be formed between adjacent contacts when mounting the connector on a circuit board. Electronic card connectors, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,290,174 and 5,297,966 and Taiwan Patent Application No. 84101873, comprise contacts having tail sections that are not well supported and protected from undesired deformation when mounting the connector to a circuit board.
FIG. 4 shows a conventional electronic card connector 100. The electronic card connector 100 comprises an insulative header 10 retaining a plurality of contacts 11 therein. The contacts 11 have L-shaped tail sections 110 for insertion into apertures 14 defined in a circuit board 13 to be soldered thereto. The tail sections 110 are only supported by a spacer plate 12 and thus have a substantial unsupported portion whereby when the tail sections 110 are inserted into the apertures 14 of the circuit board 13, the unsupported portions of the tail sections 110 may become deformed leading to improper signal transmission.
Furthermore, the electronic card connector 100 is provided with a shielding member (not shown) attached thereto for shielding the contacts 11 from electromagnetic interference. The shielding member has grounding pins separately connected to the circuit board, which complicates manufacture of the electronic card connector 100.
It is thus desirable to have an electronic card connector that eliminates the problems mentioned above.